title: Low level IGF-1 and common variable immune deficiency: an unusual combination.
abstract: A relation between growth hormone (GH) deficiency and immunoglobulin deficiency has been suggested previously in a few cases. We describe a patient with an insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) deficiency and common variable immune deficiency and briefly review earlier publications on the possible interaction between IGF-1 and the immune system. IGF-1 is the downstream mediator of GH. In this patient, GH and IGF-1 levels were both low. The GH response to a GH-releasing hormone test was normal whereas no subsequent IGF-1 response was seen. In our cohort of 14 patients with hypogammaglobulinaemia, two turned out to have slightly decreased IGF-1 serum levels and one patient with a thymoma had an increased IGF-1 level. Even though IGF-1 may be connected to B lymphocyte differentiation, in this patient we hypothesise there is a common impairment in the IGF-1 and IgG pathways.
authors.affiliation: Erasmus Medical School, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: van Bilsen
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Driessen
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: de Paus
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: van de Vosse
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: van Lom
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: van Zelm
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: N G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Hartwig
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Baarsma
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: van de Burg
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: van Hagen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D017074:Common Variable Immunodeficiency / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000172:deficiency*; D008297:Male; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D015415:Biomarkers; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I